Sewing machine



Feb. 10, 1948; A B, CLAYTON 2,435,937

SEWING MACHINE Filed July 23, 194e vs Sheets-sheet 1 A. B. CLAYTON SEWING MACHINE Feb.1G, 1948.

Filed July 23, 1946 5 SheeLs-Sheefl 2 fNV/vrol? "--..%Andrew B. Clayton Arron/Vey Feb. l0, 1948. A B- CLAYTON 2,435,937`

SEWING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INI/EN Ton Andrew B.' C'lcfy'on WITNESS BY A TraRNL-Y Patented Feb. 10, 1948 UNITED STfI'ES PATPISVI! OFFICE;

SEWING MACHINE,

Andrew B. Clayton, Elizabeth, vN.'J., fassignor to. The Singer Manufacturing ,Campania Elizav beth, N. J., a corporation of NewJersey Application Ju1y'23, 1946; SerialiNoi 685,725

12Claims. (Cl.`112*"258) Thisinvention relates to l,sewing ymachines and moreV particularly to sewing machines of the Vsocalledffamily. or domestic type.

A primaryV object of the present invention is to render available a relatively small, lightweight, easy runningv sewing machineA adapted to be used selectivelyffor performing any one .of a plurality of unlike sewing operations, such, for example, plainsewing onat work, the closureof tubular elements, such as sleevesvand legs of articles of wearing apparel, anddarning and embroidering oneither flat or tubular work.

Another object Vof Vthe invention is to provide animproved basemember fora sewing machine of this 'nature which is designed to presentto the user,` selectively, either a iiat work-supporting member of relatively large. dimensions for flat workor a relatively small cylindrical work-supporting member for tubular work.

Another object is to provide an .improved base member for' a convertible sewing machine as above described and'to .,embodyjn said base member improved 'workefeeding and loop-taking mechanisms capable of being actuated from driv ing means located within a conventional sewing machine `bracket-arm removably secured,upon the improved basemember.

With theabove Aand other objects in view, as willhereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter. set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsof a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several featuresnof the. invention and the' advantages attainedthereby will be readily' understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a sewing machine embodying the present invention,

Fig. v,2 is a bottom view thereof with a portion of a removable work-supporting plate broken away. l

Fig. 3 is a left end view of Lthe'machine illuss tratedin Fig. 1 with thebase thereof-shown in section better to disclose the work-feeding mechanism and withthelface-plate andthe bracketarm head removed to disclose thepparts within said head.

Fig. 4 is a verticalisection taken onthelines 4-4 of Figs. 2 and3;

Fig.` 5 is a horizontal ,section taken substantially" on the line 5-5 of Fig. '1, illustrating the means for supporting and rotatingv the"-loop- 2 full and dotted linesthe meansfor giving tothe feedsbar its Af eed and vreturn movements.

Fig. ,7 is a detailsectional viewillustratingirl full and dotted lines, the means for giving` to ,theieedbar itsxrisingpand falling movements.

Fig.r:8 is a detail perspective view ofthe rear end-,ofthe` feed-bar andthe rock-arms which giveto vthe feed-barits horizontal vand vertical movements.` Y

Referring lmore speciiically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed' as embodied in a sew.- ingl 4:machine comprising a base `B of Vgenerally `U-shape in plan view. One 1eg I a and the cross.- bar .Ib of the yU-shaped,baseare of inverted box- .like-forrm whereas the otherleglc is of substantially cylindrical ,formw While .the portion Ic .of thefbase B is not trulyqcylindrical, as shown by` Fig.- 1, for convenience that term will be used hereinafter-'as ldescribing the shape of that .portion lof thebase. It is to be understood that, as used in this speciiication,` the term cylindrical is intended to mean Vthe shape shown in thedrawings Por any generally 'similarshape suchY as may beusedfsatisfactorily as a work-supporting horn.

VSecured upon the upper surface oftheportion la k ofthe base as by` screws 2, of which only. one is shown, is 1the standardv 3 of a sewing machine bracket-arm A including an ovrhanging arm 4 Whichterminatesaty its ,free end in, a hollow bracket-arm .head 5. J ournaledlengthwisewithf in the arm 4, inbearings .6, is a main or drive shaft] carrying at its rear end, a combined belt and hand wheel which may-be rotated from any suitable sourceofr-power, such, for example, asan electric motor M, through the mediunrof. a belt C. The bracket-arm and the, mechanisms cars ried thereby are of conventional form, being substantially theAA same asthose disclosed inUnited States patents .of H. J, Goosman, No. 2,031,562, Feb. 18, 1936, and No.. 2,063,841 Dec. 8, 1936.' Stated briefly, the mechanism withinthe bracket-armcomprises a needle-bar 9 mounted for reciprocation -in bearings I0,in the bracket-arm head 5 and driven from a crank disk II, on the shaft 1, Vby ,a link I2. 1 At its lower end the needlebar carries an eye-pointed needle I3 forming a part of a stitch-'formingmechanism. Also mounted inthe head '5 is a spring-depressed presser-bar I4 Carrying, at its Vlower end, a presser-foot I5. A thread takef-updevice `lli also is located mainly within the headV 5 and is oper-A ated from the crankedisk I I.

Fixeduponthedrive shaft-1 is a bevel gearfI'I which serves as-theinitial driving element of a looptaker `driving train.- Thegear `IIA meshes with and drives a bevel gear I8 secured upon the upper end of a. vertical shaft I9 journaled in bearings 20 in the standard 3. At its lower end, the shaft I9 carries a bevel gear 2| which drives a bevel gear 22 secured upon one end of a shaft 23 journaled in bearings 23x in the base B. As viewed in plan from the front of the machine, the shaft 23 extends rearwardly and diagonally to the left so that the axis a of the shaft intersects the axis b of a loop-taker shaft 24 (Fig,`5) journaled in bearings 25 in the forwardly extending cylindrical portion I of the machine base. The shaft 23 has secured to its rear end a bevel gear 26 which meshes with and drives a similar gear 21 secured upon the loop-taker shaft 24. A looptaker 28, xed upon the shaft 24, cooperates with the needle I3 in the formation of stitches. The ratios of the gears I1-I8, 2l22, and 26--21 are such that the shaft 24 and the loop-taker carried thereby are given two rotations for each single rotation of the drive shaft 1, as is common in lock-stitchsewing machines. f

Cooperating with the presser-foot I5, in the feeding of the work, is a four motioned workfeeding mechanism comprising a serrated feeddog 29 secured upon the forward end of an endwise and vertically movable feed-bar 30 slidingly fulcrumed on a stud 3I secured in a lug 32 depending from the underside of the upper wall of the cylindrical portion lc of the machine base. The serrated portions of the feed-dog operate through slots 33 in a throat-plate 34 secured upon the free end portion of the cylindrical frame element I.

The feed-bar 30 and the feed-dog 29 carried thereby are given their forward and backward or feed and return movements from a cam 35 secured upon the shaft 1 through mechanism comprising an oscillating and endwise movable lever 36, pivoted, at 31, to an arm 38 projecting substantially horizontally from an auxiliary feeddrive rocker 39 journaled in the portion Ia of the base B on pintles 40. The lever 36 is formed with a forked upper end 36a which straddles and engages the cam 35. Thus rotation of the shaft 1 and cam 35 effect oscillatory movements of the lever 36 about its pivot 31. These oscillatory movements are translated into endwise movements of the lever by the action of a roller stud 4I carried by the lever and tracking the walls of a slot 42 formed in a tiltable block 43 pivotally secured to the standard 3 by a screw 44. A hand lever 45 connected to the block 43 affords means for tilting the block to vary the amplitude and direction of movement of the lever 36 and consequently the amplitude and direction ofl movement of the feed-dog 29.

The auxiliary feed-drive rocker 39 also carries an upstanding arm 46 to which is pivotally connected, at 46a, one end of a link 41, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 48, to an arm 49 depending from adjacent the rear end `of a main feed-drive rocker 50, journaled on pintles I in the base B. At its front end the feed-drive rocker 50 provides an upstanding arm E2, carrying a stud 53, which fits'into a vertically disposed slot 54 formed in the enlarged rear end portion 3i)a of the feed-bar 30. From the foregoing it will be understood that rotation of the drive shaft 1 effects endwise reciprocation vof the feed-bar 39 and the feed-dog 29 carried thereby.

Likewise, rotation of the shaft 1 effects oscillatory movements of the feed-bar about its fulcrum 3| to give to the feed-dog its rising and falling movements. This is effected from an eccentric 55 secured upon the shaft 1 adjacent the cam 35. This eccentric is embraced by a strap 56 formed at the upper end of a pitman 51 which is pivotally connected, at its lower end, by a screw 58 to a substantially horizontal arm 59 forming a part of an auxiliary feed-lift rocker 63 journaled, on pintles 6I, in the portion Ia of the base B. The auxiliary rocker 60 is also provided with an upwardly extendingv arm 62 to which is pivotally connected, by a screw 63, the forward end of a link 64. the rear end of which is pivoted, by a screw 65, to a downwardly extending arm 96 forming a part 0f a main feedlift rocker 61. The forward end portion of the rocker 61 is reduced, as at 61a, and is journaled in a bearing bushing 68 supported by a boss 69 formed integrally with the base B. For convenience of assembly the rear end portion 61h of the main feed-lift rocker 61 is journaled upon a rod 10 secured in the machine base. Secured to the reduced portion 61a of the feed-lift rocker at one end of the bearing bushing 68 is the hub portion 1Ia of a feed-lift rock-arm 1I which carries a stud 12 fitted into a slot 13 in the rear end portion of the feed-bar 36. A thrust collar 14 secured upon the portion 61*1 of the feed-lift rocker 61 cooperates with the bushing 68, boss 69 and hub 1Ia to prevent endwise movement of the feed-lift rocker. From the foregoing it will be understood that rotation of the shaft 1 effects vertical oscillation of the feed-bar 30, thus giving to the feed-dog 29 `its rising and falling movements in timed relation with its forward and backward reciprocations, as is common in fourmotion work-feeding mechanisms of sewing machines.

As hereinbefore stated an object of this invention is to provide a sewing Amachine which selectively may be used for various types of sewing operations. To that end the generally U- shaped base B is adapted to have removably secured thereto a relatively large sheet metal worksupporting plate 15 which covers a part of the base portion Ia and the entire portions Ib and to adapt the machine for plain sewing on at work. The plate 15 may be held in place by dowel pins 16 carried thereby entering dowel holes 11 in the base B and by a substantially U-shaped clamp, or stirrup 18, secured to the underside of the plate 15 and embracing the cylindrical portion Ic of the bed. The stirrup 18 carries a thumb-screw 19 designed to be adjusted into contact with the underside of the cylindrical bed portion Ic, thereby to draw the work-plate 15 into firm contact with the upper face of the bed B. The work-plate 15 is formed with an aperture which receives the throat-plate 34.

When it is desired to sew tubular work the thumb screw 19 may be released and the worksupporting plate 15 may be entirely removed from the machine, thus leaving the cylindrical portion Ic of the bed as the work-supporting element.

The above described machine may also be adapted for darning and embroidering operations and the like on'either flat or tubular work either by securing to the cylindrical work-sup porting arm a specially formed throat-plate having a needle-hole and a raised portion which over-v lies the feed-dog and prevents it from engaging the work while continuing its normal work'fee'ding motions, as shown in United States patent of G. M. Eames, No. 2,024,435, Dec. 17, 1935, or by securing to the machine, above the throatplate, a feed cover-plate of any suitable or preferred form, such, for example asa feed-cover naled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rocker from said drive shaft, a main feed-drive rocker journaled in said base with its axis substantially parallel to said axis of the bracket-arm, a link connection between said' feed-rockers, a feed-bar pivotally and slidingly mounted in the cylindrical portion of said base, a feed-dog carried by said feed-bar, and means actuated by said main feed-drive rocker for giving reciprocatory movements to said feed-bar.

8. A sewing machine comprising a generally U- 'shaped base, one portion of which is of box-like form and another portion of which is of cylindrical form, a bracket-arm secured upon said base with its longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion of said base, a drive shaft journaled lengthwise kwithin said ,bracket-arm, an auxiliary feed-lift rocker journaled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rocker from said drive shaft, a

main feed-lift rocker journaled in said base with" form and another portion of which is of cylindrical form, a bracket-arm secured upon said base with its longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion of said base, a drive shaft journaled lengthwise within said bracket-arm, an auxiliary feed-drive rocker and an auxiliary feed-lift rocker journaled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rockers from said drive shaft, a main feeddrive rocker and a main feed-lift rocker journaled in said base with their axes substantially parallel to said axis of the bracket-arm, link connections between said auxiliary and main feed-drive and feed-lift rockers, a feed-bar pivotally and slidingly mounted in the cylindrical portion of said base, a feed-dog carried by said feed-bar, and means actuated by said main feed-rockers for giving reciprocatory and oscillatory movements to said feed-bar.

10. A sewing machine comprising a generally U-shaped base, one portion of which is of boxlike form and another portion of which is of cylindrical form, a bracket-arm secured upon said base with its longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion of said base, a drive shaft journaled lengthwise within said bracket-arm, an auxiliary feed-drive rocker journaled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rocker from said drive shaft, a main feed-drive rocker journaled in said base and having an upstanding arm, a link connection between said feed-drive rockers, a feedbar pivotally and slidingly mounted in the cylin- I the forward end of said feed-bar, and a pin-andslot connection between the upstanding arm of said main feed-drive rocker and the rear end of said feed-bar for giving reciprocatory movements to said feed-bar while permitting the feed-bar to be oscillated relative to said main feed-drive rocker.

1l. A sewing machine comprising a generally U-shaped base, one portion of which is of boxlike form and another portion of which is of cylindrical form, a bracket-arm secured upon said base with its longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion of said base, a drive shaft journaled lengthwise within said bracket-arm, an Aauxiliary feed-lift rocker journaled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rocker from'said drive shaft, a main feed-lift rocker journaled in said base and ,having a horizontally disposed arm, a link connection between said feed-lift rockers, a feed-bar pivotally and slidingly mounted in the cylindrical portion of said base, a. feed-dog carried by the forward end of said feed-bar, and a pin-and-slot connection between the horizontally disposed arm of said main feed-lift rocker and the rear end of said feed-bar for giving oscillatory movements to said feed-bar while permitting the feed-bar to be reciprocated relative to said main feed-lift rocker.

12. A sewing machine comprising a generally U-shaped base, one portion of which is of boxlike form and another portion of which is of cylindrical form, a bracket-arm secured upon said base with its longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion of said base, a drive shaft journaled lengthwise within said bracket-arm, an auxiliary feed-drive rocker and an auxiliary feed-lift rocker journaled in the box-like portion of said base, means for actuating said rockers from said drive shaft1 a main feeddrive rocker and a main feed-lift rocker journaled in said base, vertical and horizontal arms carried, respectively, by said main feed-drive and feedlift rockers, operative connections between said auxiliary and main feed-drive and feed-lift rockers, a feed-bar pivotally and slidingly mounted in the cylindrical portion of said base, a feeddog carried by the forward end of said feed-bar. and pin-and-slot connections between said Vertical and horizontal arms and said feed-bar for giving to the feed-bar reciprocatory and oscillatory movements.

ANDREW B. CLAYTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,247,382 Hohmann et al. July 1, 1941 2,386,660 Clayton Oct. 9, 1945 

